Archives for August 2016

Hands up everyone who lives with a cat that drinks from the toilet. Maybe it’s not the toilet that’s their receptacle of choice but rather drinking from a running tap, or licking from the kitchen sink or shower recess. The latter is Pussa’s go-to place, preferably while I remain in residence in said shower, and she has pushed the door in on me with a head full of shampoo. So what is the cause of this behaviour, and should it be something for Pet Parents to worry about?

Pussa is a drink-from-the-shower-recess kinda gal.

Reasons Why Your Cat Drinks From Weird Places

Your cat might prefer the cooler temperature of the water from places like the toilet compared to what’s in their water bowl. A similar rationale applies if they like drinking from your glass;

If they are drinking from the kitchen sink, shower floor or directly from a running tap they are probably enjoying the greater oxygen content than that which is in their water bowl. Water bowl water will often have been sitting around for a period of time and not only will that water taste stale but it’s probably got hair, dust, and any other number of bits of goodness knows what floating around in it;

They might be considering the toilet as somewhere to play. This could be occurring if they are intrigued by the waters movement during flushing and they are lacking other environmentally stimulating toys;

Puss cat’s water bowl type and size can affect their inclination to drink from it. If the bowl is too small their whiskers will press on the sides which might be painful for some cats. Also the material from which the bowl is made will impact on the temperature of the water. Plastic bowls will be the least effective in keeping water cool, while porcelain will keep it cooler longer.

So the question is, should you try to curb this behaviour, or just consider it to be a personality quirk and use it as a source of amusement for yourself? I can see the danger in drinking from the toilet bowl since there will be both bacteria and residue from cleaning products lurking around. There’s the potential for toxicity from both those sources. In most cases anything that puss cat shouldn’t be ingesting that’s in the kitchen sink or shower are probably highly diluted and of insufficient quantity to be toxic (unless you have strange bathing habits in which case I suggest you keep these to yourself and avoid letting Favourite Feline into the bathroom under any circumstance). But drinking straight from the tap? Yeah, why not. However, to put the brakes on these feline eccentricities you can take a few steps to prevent this behaviour.

How To Stop Your Cat Drinking From Weird Places

Keep the toilet lid closed. Until which time your cat can pull up the lid, and I don’t dismiss Pussa’s ability to master this skill for one moment, this will be 100% effective;

Change the water in the water bowl at least daily, preferably twice a day in-conjunction with meal times;

Try some different water bowls. Maybe the current one is too narrow, too deep or the wrong material for the Cat Prince or Princess you have in residence;

If you (1) live in NSW, (2) either rent or own in a strata scheme and (3) own a pet, then you’re probably aware that in 2015 the NSW Government passed multiple changes to strata law. The changes, which are due to come into effect on 30 November 2016, concern not just the keeping of pets but a variety of measures such as removing abandoned vehicles left on common property and where you can smoke (cigarettes or other “substances” interestingly). As you’d expect though, here at Cat Habitat we are most interested in how these changes impact someone’s ability to keep pets in a strata scheme.

Your ability to have pets in a strata scheme will come down to what’s written in the registered by-laws of individual strata schemes. Under the new regulations, your ability to keep a pet in NSW will depend on when your by-laws were registered. If they were registered before the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 came into effect, which was 1 July 1997, then you are subject to the blanket ban on keeping animals unless approval has been given by the owners corporation. Schemes registered after 1 July 1997 come under the Model By-laws which offer 3 options regarding pets and are along the lines of:

Occupiers must not keep any animal (fish in an aquarium is the exception) without approval from the owners corporation, but this approval must not be unreasonably withheld;

Occupiers must not keep any animal (with the exception of a cat, small dog, caged bird or fish in an aquarium) without approval from the owners corporation, and again this approval must not be unreasonably withheld; or

Occupiers must not keep any animal.

If no option is selected, option A applies.

The amended model by-laws coming into effect later this year are intended to make it easier for people to keep pets in a strata scheme development by removing any reference to a ban on pet ownership. While an owners corporation is not bound to take on the model by-laws and can continue to write their own by-laws, all strata schemes are required to review their by-laws within 12 months of 30 November 2016. This certainly opens the door to considering the lifting of bans that currently exist in many instances.

Soph enjoys her urban living apartment lifestyle especially when she has her Slumber Yard cat bed to snooze in.

Those who maintain that pets should not be kept in an apartment frequently cite their concerns to be around barking dogs, unattended pets roaming willy-nilly on common property, or there being a level of cruelty involved in keeping a pet in a small space. Taking each of these concerns individually, if one of your co-apartment dwellers has a dog that barks its head off as soon as the owners leaves, this issue can be handled in exactly the same way as your other neighbour who plays their favourite Michael Buble song on constant loop, full volume at 7am on Sunday morning. The owners corp advises of a breach of by-laws to the occupant outlining the infringement and requesting that their behaviour be rectified. The same remedy will exist for residents who let their pet free range around common property. Not only is this inconsiderate toward other occupiers but it is potentially dangerous for said pet. Especially for cats we advocate that they should always be kept indoors for their own safety. As to the issue of it being cruel to keep a pet in a small space, well that comes back to being a responsible pet owner and choosing a pet that’s suitable for your circumstances. Cats will live perfectly happily completely indoors provided they are given appropriate mental and physical stimulus. The breeds of dogs that best suit apartments may surprise you, but large breeds such as greyhounds (and there are going to be many of these up for adoption in the next year) who like a brisk walk every day but otherwise are happy to loll around at home are a brilliant fit for apartment living. Conversely, a small dog like a Jack Russell with a high energy level is unlikely to be your best bet.

With housing affordability a massive issue in a lot of our capital cities, and various levels of government encouraging us to live in higher density housing, the number of people living in apartments (most of which are strata schemes) will only increase. In fact, the estimate is that within the next 40 years Sydney will be split 50/50 with the same number of apartments as free standing houses. Strata by-laws need to be flexible enough to accommodate people at all stages of their life and with all different versions of family types. With forecasts suggesting that there will be more single person households in our future, pets can play an important part in avoiding feelings of loneliness and isolation, and often act to increase the connections within communities.

Around the rest of the country, the laws concerning pet ownership in strata schemes are already much more relaxed. In Victoria, pets are allowed unless the body corporate deems it is a nuisance or a danger, while in South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory only permission from the strata corporation is required. In Queensland it’s accepted that an owners corp does not have the authority under the applicable legislation to entirely ban pet ownership.

For heavens sake, apartment living has been the norm for many people in European cities for decades and that has gone hand in hand with pet ownership. Come on NSW, you seem to be OK with sipping your skim latte amongst people’s doggie friends, don’t you think it’s time to get with it and openly let people have a pet live with them in their apartment?

There are a couple of high profile news stories circulating at the moment around animal welfare. The first is the NSW Government’s decision to ban greyhound racing as of 1 July 2017 and the other is going on in Victoria whose government wants to ban pet shops from selling puppies and kittens unless they are from rescue agencies. Both these topics are equally as important, but it’s the latter proposal that got me in a discussion recently on the topic of acquiring pets from breeders vs rescue animals. I’ve written previously about the number of pets which are euthanased each year in Australia and so it probably comes as no surprise that I keep asking why shop when you can adopt?

There seems to be a stigma which exists in some people’s minds that every animal who finds themselves in the pound or with a rescue agency has experienced trauma, maltreatment or some other misadventure, resulting in them being undesirable pets. This unfortunately is true in some cases, but pets get surrendered to agencies for all sorts of reasons. A study done by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP) in the US, identified the top 10 reasons people surrender their cats and dogs.

The top 10 reasons people surrender their cat:

Too many animals in household (11%)

Allergies in family (8%)

Moving (8%)

No homes available for litter mates (6%)

Landlord not allowing pet (6%)

Cost of pet maintenance (6%)

House soiling (5%)

Owner having personal problems (4%)

Inadequate facilities (2%)

Incompatibility with other pets (2%)

Notice anything about the list? A lot of the reasons proffered are because owners were either unequipped or ill-prepared for taking on a cat. Yes, this is a US study, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume a level of similarity between the US and Australia on this.

Once people have decided that they’re committed to acquiring a new furry friend, way too often the default position is to purchase from a breeder. I know that lots (most?) people want to get their new pet as a puppy or kitten, because let’s face it, they are just so goddam cute! We adopted Pussa and Soph when they were 1 and 2 years old respectively and often times my fellow Pet Parent and I wished we had known them when they were kittens. However, the puppy and kitten stage only lasts for a very short time and are you really going to eliminate consideration of taking on a rescue animal because they are a bit older? That’s not to say you won’t be able to get a kitten or puppy from a rescue agency. Often the Mum’s find themselves in a rescue agency when they’re pregnant (as was the case with Pussa who ended up having a litter of 3) and so the fosterer’s end up in a situation of having to find new homes for Mum plus brood.

What’s not to love about these two rescue cats?

In conversations I’ve had with people involved in rescue agencies they relate that in their experience kittens and puppies are much easier to rehome than adult cats. Maybe I felt sad for all the older cats that made me adopt adult cats on both occasions. I can say without any hesitation that both Pussa and Soph are well-adjusted, happy cats who suffer no ill-effects from their early years being in the rescue system. Of course that’s largely attributable to those good folk who were their foster carers during that time. All rescue agencies worth their salt will assess prospective adoptive parents for their suitability to take on specific animals. Courtesy of the foster carers, agencies will know the personality quirks and requirements of each animal and then match these with the circumstances, personality and experience of the hopeful parents. That means that when they do come across an animal that is traumatised it will stay in foster care until the right parents and right environment is found. I’ve no doubt that good breeders will vett purchasers before agreeing to sell any of their puppies or kittens, but I suspect less scrupulous operators are unlikely to. Having not acquired a pet through a pet shop I don’t know what their procedures are for those who wants to buy through them.

Please, the next time you or anyone you know is talking of getting a new pet, consider adopting. Adopt, don’t buy, and save the life of a beautiful animal soul who’s out there somewhere waiting for you.

When my sisters and I were young Mum and Dad had some friends who had two big, black Labradors. For reasons only know to my 5 year-old self, I was quite scared of these dogs. The mere suggestion of a visit would result in a fit of tears and in between sobs trying to explain to my poor parents that I never wanted to see “the wolves” again. My other memory of visits to The Wolves House was the overwhelming smell of dog that seemed to permeate every inch of the place. Forty-something years on, and I confess to being a bit paranoid about whether living with two felines has caused my entire home to smell like cat. It’s one of the first questions I ask people when they come over (fun host huh?), and as a consequence I’ve been on a quest to determine the most effective ways to stop my house smelling like a cat.

5 Ways To Stop Your House Smelling Like A Cat

Litter & Litterbox Cleaning: This is going to be the Number 1 source of cat smell in your home. There are a variety of cat litters available which have varying degrees of odour absorption capacity. If this is your utmost concern cat litter crystals will be the most effective for you, but their lack of green cred is unlikely to win you any environmental awards. Regardless of what litter type you use, eliminate the solids daily and do a complete litter change at the frequency specified by the manufacturer. Make sure part of that process includes washing out the litter tray. We just use dishwashing liquid for this. I’ve come across some people who advocate using bleach, but if I consider the smell (even when diluted) to be overpowering for me, how much worse is it for a cat who has a very sensitive olfactory system? If you can, let the tray dry out in the sun to help kill off bacteria and reduce the residual smell of whatever cleaning product you used. Every couple of years get a new litter tray because the scratches that will inevitably occur in the plastic will be the ideal place for bacteria to breed, and you guessed it, create more smell;

Carpet Trap: If you’ve got carpet in your place, as we do, this can be a hot spot to trap dirt and odour from your Favourite Feline. Those little paws which have been stomping and scratching around in the aforementioned litter tray can then track its contents out onto your carpet. At Cat Habitat HQ we have a litter trapper mat in front of the tray which seems to do a pretty good job of holding onto the bigger pieces of litter that Pussa & Soph drag out. You have to accept though that small litter and faecal particles are going to get into your carpet fibre, so make sure that you vacuum weekly. Every 3 to 4 weeks sprinkle some bicarb soda on the carpet, leave for a couple of hours or even overnight, then vacuum up. The bicarb will absorb odour and is a common ingredient in many commercially produced carpet cleaning powders. I love this stuff because it works a treat, is cheap as chips and is non-toxic;

Cat Bedding: Wash your cat’s bedding every 4 to 6 weeks and if you let your Favourite Feline sleep on any of your furniture consider getting a pet blanket or throw like our Feline Futon. This will contain both cat fur (hooray!) and any catty smell to something that can be easily laundered then placed wherever your cat’s favourite sleeping spot de jour is;

Regular Grooming: Most cats are very effective self-groomers but regular brushing administered by their Favourite Pet Parent will also help get rid of dirt and dander from their coats, especially if they are outdoor cats. I’ve never washed either Pussa or Soph, which is probably why I still have both my arms attached to my body, but if you are inclined to do so make sure you use a shampoo formulated for cats. There are also waterless products on the market if you think that your cat won’t ever forgive you for introducing them to the joys of water;

Avoid Leaving Food Around: Let’s be honest, tinned cat food basically stinks and the longer it takes to be consumed, the more it will disseminate its distinctive aroma. Leaving food out for an extended period of time may also attract ants and other bugs which increases the risk of bacteria. Water is also a common environment for bacteria to breed so ensure you change the water daily and put the bowl through the dishwasher once a week. Make sure you use a feeding mat, like our Feed Boards or Slate Plate, and keep those and the whole feeding area clean.

I strongly advocate avoiding the use of air fresheners for a couple of reasons. First, they only mask odours rather than remedying the root cause. Secondly, cats are super sensitive to smell, and chemical air fresheners have a very strong scent which your puss cat is unlikely to take kindly to. Follow the above suggestions and no-one will be singing Smelly Cat* to your Favourite Feline.

*Don’t know what the Smelly Cat song is? Where were you in the 90’s? Clearly not watching Friends. Have a look at the video here.

In a previous post we spoke about how cats are strict obligate carnivores meaning that they must get their protein from meat rather than plant sources. But those who live with cats will also know that their Favourite Feline is probably quite partial to having a chew on grass. They will also be all to familiar with a common outcome from grass eating…cat throw-up. They vomit after eating grass because cats can’t breakdown vegetable matter since they lack the enzymes to do so. So if it makes them sick, is it OK for my cat to eat grass?

3 Reasons Your Cat Wants To Eat Grass

Cat Habitat HQ keeps a plentiful supply of Cat Grass on hand for its staff.

Digestion Aid: Especially if you allow your cat outside, when they hunt down and eat their prey they will ingest not just meat, but bones, feathers, fur as well as the organs of their prey. Even if your Favourite Feline is an indoor only puss cat they will be ingesting their own fur by virtue of self-grooming. With your cat’s response to consuming grass being to vomit, this rids their digestive tract of the indigestible matter they’ve inadvertently consumed;

Vitamin Supplement: Grass contains folic acid which is part of the B group of vitamins. Most of us will recognise folic acid as a supplement for women which helps to prevent birth defects affecting the brain and spinal cord. In cats it will aid the flow of oxygen through their body by producing haemoglobin and helps in avoiding anaemia;

The Cat Laxative: Inevitably there will still be some indigestible matter that gets further through your Favourite Feline’s digestive system. If it didn’t come out from the top, there’s only one other way that it’s going to get eliminated. It’s thought that the consumption of grass helps smooth the way for your Favourite Feline to excrete what’s not required for nutrition.

What species of grass is Cat Grass?

Cat grass is a good supplement to your cat’s normal diet, as fed from a Cat Habitat Feed Board of course!

The most common species of grass that we refer to as “Cat Grass” in Australia is Dactylis glomerata which is also sometimes also known as cock’s foot or orchard grass. It’s readily available from garden centres as seed in packets and in punnets as a mature form. You can plant it throughout the year, give it plenty of sun (it’s grass after all) and keep the soil moist. Your Favourite Feline will probably like the younger shoots the most, so in your capacity as Best Pet Parent in the World, continually sow seeds to have a continual supply of new shoots.

Healthy cats will self-regulate the amount of grass they eat, and if their grass-eating habits change get it checked out by your vet. Make sure that the grass you provide for them doesn’t get contaminated with pesticides or fertilisers as these may be toxic to your cat. A bit of grass consumption is a good natural supplement to a healthy, complete diet for your Favourite Feline. Perhaps just don’t let them near your white carpet straight afterwards, but should you be unable to take evasive action in time click here for the Cat Habitat method to clean up cat vomit.